


One Jump Ahead

by sam_kom_trashkru



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Aden as the cutest lil shit ever, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Alternate Universe - Thieves, F/F, F/M, Lexa as Robin Hood, M/M, Prince Bellamy, Princess Clarke, Princess Octavia, Robin Hood AU, ft. lots of Brave aspects, title inspired by the great cinematic masterpiece that is the song from aladdin
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-05
Packaged: 2018-05-31 09:34:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,210
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6465151
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sam_kom_trashkru/pseuds/sam_kom_trashkru
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How a thief manages to steal the greatest treasure in all the kingdom. </p>
<p>Or</p>
<p>The Robin Hood-esque AU that literally nobody asked for</p>
            </blockquote>





	One Jump Ahead

**Author's Note:**

> Alright so this is kinda a Robin Hood AU (sorta?) with lots of inspiration from the Disney movie Brave, and I'm going to apologize ahead of time for any mistakes, because I don't have a beta, and I literally just finished this and I'm super eager to post it I'll probably find all the errors later and cry. 
> 
> Anyways, hope you enjoy!

“Thief! Come back!”

A small smile graced the beautiful woman’s face as she busied herself in her painting, hearing the familiar yelling of a few of the royal guards, as well as the tell-tale patter of feet scrambling on the roof above her room. By this time, the thief, or the  _ Commander _ , as people were coming to call her, was well-known throughout the kingdom of Arkadia. At first, she had been wary of her, but had come to view her as a much needed comic relief from the stiffness of her life. Besides, she wasn’t quite sure why her mother was so intent on catching the hooded girl, as she was doing a service to the people, stealing money from the rich (which they had plenty of, and shouldn’t miss the small amounts she took) to give to the poor. She was becoming a bit of a hero, really. 

The smile on her face widened as a lean figure slipped in through her window, diving under her bed without any form of greeting. The painting woman paused, stifling a laugh, and waited three long moments before the doors to her room were thrown open.

“Princess Clarke.” The freckled, floppy haired boy looked out of breath but determined, brows furrowed and eyes narrowed.

“Prince Bellamy,” she acknowledged, sweeping blonde locks out of her eyes as she smiled up at him innocently, “what can I do for you?” 

While not related by blood, the two of them were, without a doubt, siblings. Clarke’s mother, Queen Abby of Arkadia, had been best friends with his mother, Aurora, and had been horror-struck at the death of her closest confidant, and had taken the woman’s own two children in without a second thought, adopting Bellamy and Octavia as her own. The two of them had taken to life as royalty with vigor, trying their best to please their adoptive mother, who adored them as much as she loved her own daughter, and the three had grown closer than most. 

“Don’t play me for a fool, Clarke,” he scowled, “is she here?”

“I’m afraid I haven’t the faintest clue what you’re talking about,” Clarke quipped innocently, “you’ll have to continue your little hunt elsewhere.” He groaned, shaking his head, but didn’t press the matter, as he knew when to leave Clarke alone. Almost desperate to prove himself to the citizens of Arkadia, Bellamy had snatched up the chance to lead the Royal Guard, and thus was tasked with the near impossible feat of capturing the Commander and bringing her to justice. Honestly, he was becoming near insufferable. 

“One of these days,” Bellamy swore as he walked out of the room, shooting a sincere look at Clarke, “one of these days I’ll catch her.”

“Good luck with that,” Clarke shot back after him, before turning back intently to her canvas, fine bristles of the brush dipped precisely into green paint, trying to capture the dark, glooming intensity with steady strokes. “You can come out now, you know, he won’t be back for a while.” She continued painting without looking up, but another smile found its way onto her face when she felt the familiar presence of the girl behind her. 

“I am, as always, astounded by your artistic ability.”

“Thank you very much, Lexa, but I’m afraid you’re biased.”

“Of course I am, you make me look fantastic.”

Finally, Clarke tore her eyes away from her work long enough to observe the girl in front of her. She was dressed in dark clothes, a hood pulled over her head, dark kohl lining her eyes to keep her identity hidden, but they only brought out the intense green that Clarke tried so often to replicate exactly, but there was always something missing. Her paint stained hands gently removed the hood from the girl’s head, and the thief smiled sheepishly at her when Clarke frowned at a gash on her forehead.

“One of the idiots on the guard got lucky with an arrow, just barely grazed me.” She  sighed when Clarke got up to wash her hands in the en suite bathroom, cleaning her hands in the basin of water before grabbing a clean cloth to wipe the blood away. “Honestly, Clarke, it’s fine–” she broke off when she saw Clarke staring at her, unamused, before placing the cloth onto Lexa’s forehead. 

“I worry about you, you know,” Clarke sighs deeply, blue eyes shining with genuine concern. Every time Lexa sees it, she’s caught off-guard, because she isn’t used to people caring for her. Sure, her little band of thieves cared for her, as they’d become a family of sorts, but Clarke had been a surprise in her life. 

It had started much like the current day, Lexa swinging into Clarke’s open window to escape capture, heart racing and a wide smile on her face. She hadn’t expected for the room to have someone in it, let alone that person being the most adored girl in Arkadia, Princess Clarke. 

The blonde haired blue eyed beauty held her mother’s elegance and poise, but had her father’s kindness and big heart. The day King Jake had died had been a dark period for all of the kingdom, as there was nobody more beloved than him. Lexa remembered seeing the royal children at his funeral, standing on the balcony overlooking the palace gardens. The tall boy who had become a thorn in Lexa’s side, Bellamy, stood stoically, arms wrapped comfortingly around the dark haired princess, Octavia, and Clarke. From the moment Lexa saw her up on that tower, her breath had been taken, and when she swung into the blonde’s bedroom for the first time, literally  _ crashing  _ into her, she’d been more terrified and excited than she’d ever been in her entire life. 

Abby remarried soon after her husband’s passing, a grand affair in which the kingdom celebrated, but they all knew that this new king would never be quite as loved as Jake had been. Marcus was peaceful in nature, though, and the people approved of their Queen’s choice in a new husband, but it was his advisor, Sir Pike, who wreaked havoc on Arkadia with his harsh treatment of the lower class and his intense taxation laws. 

Lexa recalled their first meeting with the utmost fondness.

* * *

“Thief! Come back!” Lexa threw her head back in laughter, cloak billowing behind her as she ran across the roof of the palace with reckless abandon, a pouch stuffed with gold coins held firmly in her hands. The guards tailing her were slow and clumsy on the tiles, so she was able to outrun them fairly easily. An open window on in her line of sight caught Lexa’s eye, and she leapt into it without even batting her eyes, preparing to tuck and roll neatly on the floor, but finding her plan blocked by a rather soft roadblock.

“ _ Oomf.” _ Lexa crashed into the girl, the two of them tumbling to the ground in a tangle of limbs. Momentarily dazed, Lexa placed her hands down on either side of the girl currently pinned under her, and her cheeks heated when she took in the widened sky-blue eyes and frazzled blonde locks. Of course, of all the rooms she could have chosen to jump into, she chose the one belonging to a  _ princess.  _

“Clarke?” a worried voice sounded from outside of the door, deep and earthy and somehow familiar. “Are you alright?” Lexa felt her heart freeze when Clarke blinked owlishly for a few moments, before opening her mouth, surely the girl was going to give her up.

“I’m fine, Bellamy,” she called out, “I tripped over my easel again.” The deep rumbling laugh of the prince pierced through the wood of the door, and Lexa felt her body sag in relief.

“Do you need any help?”

“No, no, I’m quite alright, besides, I’m not in any state to amuse company in my room at the moment, Bellamy.” She was shooting a questioning look at Lexa now, blue eyes tracing the lines of her kohl as she continued to lie to her adopted brother blatantly.

“Alright Clarke, I’m going,” Bellamy laughed, and Lexa listened intently to the thud of footsteps as he walked away from the room. She remained frozen in her position, only brought back to reality by the clearing of Clarke’s throat.

“Do you greet  _ all  _ maidens like this, or am I just lucky?”

The implications of Lexa atop of the princess, her strong arms effectively trapping the girl beneath her, came crashing down on the brunette in a tidal wave of panic and embarrassment, as she quickly scrambled off of the other girl, dark paint unable to hide the flush to her cheeks. 

“Deepest apologies, your highness.”

“You pinned me to the ground, I think we’re past the point of  _ your highness _ ,” the blonde scoffed, taking Lexa’s offered hand as she stood up, rubbing her elbow tenderly, “you can call me Clarke.”

“Right then. Clarke, I’m–”

“–the thief that’s been driving my mother insane for the past season, yes, I’m aware. Now, the question here remains: why are you in my room?” There was something about the intensity of Clarke’s gaze that caught the usually composed thief off-guard, causing her to stumble on her words.

“There were. Guards. I was… and then I jumped.”

“Eloquent, I see,” was the princess  _ teasing  _ her? “Obviously not as smooth with your words as you are with your hands.” While Lexa knew, rationally, that the blonde was talking about her proficiency in stealing money from the palace, her mind couldn’t help but give the words another meaning, pink stains on her cheeks only darkening. 

Every instinct in Lexa’s body was screaming at her to run away, to put as much distance as humanly possible before she did something stupid, but her curiosity rooted her to the floor. This girl could have easily called in her brother and had Lexa locked up, and yet she hadn’t. For some reason unfathomable to Lexa, the girl had lied to keep her safe. 

“Why didn’t you turn me in?” she blurted out before she could stop herself, swallowing down the rest of her words when blue eyes fixed her with an amused stare, one pale eyebrow quirked. 

“Do you  _ want  _ to be imprisoned?”

“Well,  _ no, _ but–”

“But nothing,” Clarke brushed off, moving to sit on her bed fluidly, “you don’t want to be locked up, I don’t want to see you locked up because heaven knows I need some laughter in my life, and hearing the guards chase after you like buffoons is always the highlight of my day.” Clarke, Lexa decided, was the strangest princess she had ever met. 

She was the  _ only  _ princess Lexa had ever met, but that was besides the point. She didn’t need to know many princesses to know that they shouldn’t act like this.

“I– _ thank you _ .” Blonde eyes snapped up to meet green ones, seeing nothing but sincerity shining in the vibrant orbs, and Lexa’s words were rewarded with a brilliant smile that made the thief’s heart stutter in her chest and breath catch in her throat. 

“No need to thank me,” Clarke said with a smile, “I should be thanking you, really. Feel free to swing into my room whenever you’d like.”

* * *

 

Since their initial meeting, the two of them had formed an odd sort of friendship. Lexa would drop in mostly unannounced, and Clarke would somehow always be there when she arrived, usually painting or reading a book. Against her better judgment, Lexa kept coming back, no matter how dangerous she knew it was. One of these days, Bellamy might actually be able to catch her, but for now, she let herself be reckless, because Clarke was worth it.

“So,” Clarke’s voice snapped Lexa out of her thoughts, grabbing her attention as she removed the stained cloth from Lexa’s forehead, “what’s new in the life of the infamous  _ Commander  _ recently?”

“The usual,” Lexa shot back, “stealing gold, making fools out of the royal guard, trying to impress the princess.” 

“Consider the princess thoroughly impressed,” Clarke laughed, shaking her head fondly as she cupped Lexa’s face tenderly, and Lexa felt her chest tense, as though there were a hundred frantic birds trying to escape her ribcage, as the beautiful blonde leant in and softly pressed a kiss to Lexa’s slightly chapped lips. 

This had been a fairly recent development. 

While Lexa had found herself falling fast for the kind, artistic, gentle princess, she hadn’t imagined, not in a million years, that the blonde could reciprocate the feelings. But several weeks ago, when Lexa had been visiting, the blonde had backed her into a table and kissed her in earnest, and Lexa swore she almost ascended right then. Nothing had felt more right than kissing Clarke, and she felt most complete in the blonde’s embrace. Their meetings were now filled with stolen kisses, on lips, on cheeks, on their noses, and Lexa found herself coming back more and more, addicted to Clarke like a drunk man to his ale. 

They rested against each other for a moment, drinking in the familiarity of their embrace, before Clarke pulled away with a soft smile, sighing as she heard Bellamy yelling something from down the hall. Lexa winked at her, pressing a kiss to Clarke’s forehead and saluting, before turning and swiftly hopping out of Clarke’s window and out of sight. The blonde made a wistful noise as she leaned onto her wall, and a smile was still fixed on her face as she heard the door open and close. 

“By the racket Bellamy’s making and the smile on your face, I assume the Commander made another appearance?” Clarke turned to Octavia with a smile, nodding at the younger girl who was her closest friend in the world. Octavia shook her head, moving to pull Clarke to the bed, sitting next to her.

“You know you can’t keep up with this, Clarke. You’re from different worlds.”

“I love her, Octavia,” Clarke said, refusing to meet the other girl’s eyes, “I can’t just stop that.” 

“Abby would have a fit if she found out,” Octavia continued, laughing softly at the thought, “imagine her horror, the Crown Princess of Arkadia, in love with the thief she’s been trying to catch for the past year.”

“I guess she’ll never find out then,” Clarke shot back.

“So you’ll keep your relationship a secret forever? That’s not exactly healthy, Clarke, you deserve to be happy, and I’m not sure you will be if you keep this up.”

“She makes me happy, O.” Clarke’s tone impressed a sense of finality, and Octavia knew that there would be no changing the girl’s mind.

“Alright, but I don’t think you’ll be happy about what Abby’s planning to announce…”

* * *

 

“...by invitation of the Throne of Arkadia, all interested suitors of royal blood are welcome to the palace on the Eve of the Summer Equinox to compete for the hand of the Crown Princess, Clarke, as she celebrates her coming-of-age. Godspeed and good luck to all competitors.” Anya’s voice was bored and monotonous as she read the elegant parchment, and Lexa felt physically ill as the words processed. 

Logically, she knew that something like this was coming, as Clarke’s twenty-first birthday was rolling around the corner, but that didn’t make it hurt any less. She knew that she stood no chance amongst royalty, that Abby and Marcus would never approve of her if she stepped forward to pursue the princess. In fact, Abby would probably have her head if she ever showed up at the palace. 

The base of operations of the Thieves Guild was the palace she’d grown up in, an old abandoned fortress in the forest, growing amongst pickpockets and sly-talkers, soaking up the knowledge of her destined craft like a sponge, steps light and springing and sure, the dark halls and friendly atmosphere screaming home. But now, it didn’t feel so much like home. Now, home was two arms, a smile, and a steady heartbeat. Home was eyes that reflected the sky and hair that was more pure than any gold. Home was Clarke, and Lexa wasn’t sure she was ready to give that up.

When Anya finishes speaking, Lexa flees. She ignores Lincoln’s concerned question, and brushes off the gazes of the others, and tears off into the forest where she’d grown up, twisting through branches and navigating the maze of trees to the Sky Tree, which reached up higher than all of the others in the forest. From her perch at the top, she could see all of Arkadia, even the tower on the palace that she knew Clarke resided in. 

Up in the trees, Lexa let herself feel.

She loved Clarke, loved her so much that even the thought of the blonde with someone else felt as though someone had run through her with a spear. She couldn’t lose her, not when she just got her. As Lexa lost herself in thoughts of the blonde haired girl who had effortlessly stolen the heart of the kingdom’s greatest thief, she heard someone else shimmying their way up her favorite tree. Turning, Lexa found herself face-to-face with perhaps her favorite person in the world other than Clarke, and he, too, had blonde hair and blue eyes, and the younger boy offered her a tentative smile.

“Aden,” she greeted, hurriedly wiping a few stray tears off of her cheeks, “what brings you to my domain?” The boy had become the closest thing to a little brother Lexa had ever had. She’d taken him under her wing from a young age, spotting the homeless three-year-old on the streets when she was thirteen and bringing him back to the forest, where the others instantly adored him. How could they not?  His bright eyes and brilliant toothy smile were enough to make even the most guarded, like Anya, melt. 

“You love her, don’t you?” he asked quietly, moving to sit next to her, staring out at the kingdom with appreciative eyes.

“You know I do,” Lexa responded gently, wrapping her arm around the younger boy as he leaned into her for comfort.

“Why don’t you fight for her, then?”

She turned to look at him as though he had two heads, but Aden was completely serious, staring back at her solemnly.

“Aden, I don’t understand―”

“Queen Abby’s invitation said  _ all interested suitors of royal blood _ ,” he parroted back with a small grin, “she didn’t specify what kind of royalty.” It took her a few moments to process, but when she did, a wide grin tugged its way across Lexa’s face, and she hugged Aden tightly to her, pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

“You’re a genius, Aden.”

“I know, that’s why you love me.”

* * *

 

Back at the castle, Clarke wasn’t faring any better than Lexa had been. Octavia was sitting at the long dining table eating her meal silently, watching with amusement as the events in front of her unfolded, smiling into her napkin. Bellamy sat across from her, jaw hanging practically on the floor as he tried to understand what was going on.

“A  _ competition  _ for my hand!?” Clarke, needless to say, was outraged. How  _ dare  _ her mother plan something like this behind her back, without her consent, making Clarke out to be a prize to be won. She was so much more than that, she was her own independent person, she was strong and she was kind and she was loved by her people, and she would make an excellent queen one day. She didn’t need suitors to come flocking to her.

“Clarke, love, calm down,” Abby began, but this was obviously the wrong thing to say.

“ _ Calm down?!  _ You want me to  _ calm down? _ I’m sorry, mother, but are  _ you  _ the one who’s just been told that she’s going to be given away to the most impressive meathead who comes along, regardless of whether or not he’s an ass, without your consent??? No! You know why, because  _ I’m  _ the one who was just told that! What gave you the right―”

“I am your mother,” Abby bit back sharply, warning in her tone, “and I will not be spoken to in such away. You’re almost of age, it is  _ well  _ past the time that you look for a suitor.”

“I can do that on my own!” Clarke practically growled, eyes stormy.

“Obviously you can’t, because you still don’t have one yet!”

“What makes you think that,” Clarke shot back, “how do  _ you  _ know that I haven’t been seeing anyone,  _ mother _ ?” Octavia started choking on her piece of bread when Clarke said this, and Bellamy looked more like a confused puppy than ever. 

“Well?  _ Have  _ you?”

“As a matter of fact I have,” Clarke spat out, “not that you thought to ask that before you went and declared my eligibility to all the neighboring kingdoms, so now I’m bound to be paired off with someone I don’t love for the rest of my life.” Abby looked shell-shocked at this point, and Bellamy wasn’t faring much better. Octavia pretended to be surprised, but looked rather unconvincing, and Marcus just sat there, unfazed.

“Well then, why can’t he participate in the competition?” Abby asked.

“ _ She _ , mother,” Clarke bit out. She’d told Abby of her preference for both sexes when she was still a teenager, not that her mother had bothered to acknowledge her, brushing her off as usual with a  _ that’s nice, Clarke _ . “And she isn’t royalty, as far as I’m aware, but she makes me happy, and that’s enough for me. Goodnight.” And with that, Clarke stormed out of the dining hall with her head held high, leaving the rest of her family to sit, slack-jawed, at her exit.

“So,” Octavia started awkwardly, “Maya did a really good job with the soup, you should try it.”

* * *

 

Clarke doesn’t see Lexa for two days, and it breaks her heart. She knows that the other girl must be struggling with the announcement of the tournament as much as Clarke is, because Lexa’s heart shone in her green eyes. On the third day of silence, Clarke perks up when she hears a knock on her window, and she flings it open and has Lexa wrapped in a firm hug before the girl can even move to come inside, pressing frantic kisses to her face. 

“Lexa,” she breathed out, tears prickling in her eyes, “you came.”

“I can never stay away for long,” Lexa responded easily, cupping Clarke’s jaw gently, “you and I are going to be okay, understand?”

“ _ How _ ?!” Clarke exclaimed, pulling back to look Lexa in the eyes, her own blue orbs shining with tears. “How are we going to survive this?”

“I’m going to fight for you,” Lexa responded confidently, eyes sincere, “don’t worry about the logistics of it, I have everything figured out. I’m going to fight for you, Clarke, and I’m going to  _ win _ .” The two of them stared at each other for a few long moments, and then they were kissing, Clarke pressing into the taller girl as though she was the only thing keeping her upright, their movements frantic and slightly sloppy, but Clarke couldn’t bring herself to care. All that mattered was she was here, and Lexa was with her, and they were kissing, and in that moment, everything was right in the world. 

Needless to say, Clarke was caught off-guard when someone cleared their throat. 

She and Lexa separated quickly, practically jumping apart, and Clarke’s heart dropped when she saw the tall, broad-shouldered, bearded form of her step-father.

“Marcus, I can explain―” he raised a hand, signalling for her to stop talking, and stepped forward to observe Lexa, eyes scanning the frozen girl, but she refused to cower under the intensity of his stare, chin jutted outward defensively and arms pulled back behind her back.

“Arkadia’s greatest thief,” he said with a tight smile, recognizing Lexa even though she was without her warpaint or hood, shaking his head, “you’ve really outdone yourself this time, Commander.”

“How do you mean?” Emboldened by his lack of a negative response, Lexa asked the question she and Clarke were both thinking. 

“You’ve managed to steal something far more impressive than gold,” he continued, looking back to Clarke, who looked as though she might faint she was so tense, “the heart of my daughter.” Though he wasn’t Clarke’s real father, and would never try to replace Jake, he had come to care for her as a father would, and often fought Abby on her controlling behavior. He turned back to Lexa and nodded once before turning to leave.

“I’ll see you in a week’s time at the Declaring of the Challengers.” The door shut behind him with a quiet  _ thud _ , and Clarke and Lexa turned to look at each other, eyes wide.

“What just happened?”

“I think your father just gave me his blessing to compete.”

* * *

 

Over the next week, Aden watched his sister’s competition arrive with keen eyes. 

Prince Finn from the East, with his long hair and arrogant smirks, he would fall quickly in battle, his pride his downfall. Next to arrive was a kind young man from the West, Prince Wells, who Aden knew was already friends with Clarke. The man’s father, King Thelonious, had been close friends with King Jake, so their children often played together in their youth when the two men met to secure alliances and trade deals. The next pair to arrive were King Titus, who pulled his reluctant son behind him. Prince John had a sour look on his face, and Aden knew he was only here because his father had forced him to come, so the blonde boy decided he wouldn’t be much of a problem for Lexa. 

The arrival that worried him the most was of Queen Nia of the North, and her son, Prince Roan. Aden felt his blood freeze when he saw them make their entrance on pristine white warhorses, jaw clenching. Nia was no friend to the Thieves Guild, and had often killed some of their own, including Lexa’s parents, and her childhood best friend, Costia. Out of all the competitors so far, Roan seemed to be Lexa’s greatest challenge, but Aden had faith that she could defeat the mountain of a man. 

Speaking of mountain men, King Dante arrived shortly after Queen Nia, accompanied by his two sons, Prince Cage and Prince Emerson, who, as it seemed, would both be competing. Dante figured that with two sons in the tournament for Clarke’s affections, he had a higher chance of securing a spot on the throne of Arkadia, but Aden knew from the upturned nose on Cage and the cruel sneer on Emerson that Clarke would never have any fondness for either of them. 

Especially with how they acted around the commonfolk. 

Aden could see Clarke walking around the market, smiling and talking to people as she went, and could see Prince Cage prowling behind her, appearing ready to make a move of sorts. Aden darted fluidly through the crowd of people, and purposefully tripped and tumbled into Cage, knocking the prince over in the process. The dark haired man growled and stood up, grasping Aden by the collar of his shirt and hoisting him up. 

“Why you little  _ urchin―” _

“Prince Cage! Unhand him right this instant!” Aden shot Cage a smug look when Clarke’s voice rang over the crowd, the beautiful blonde approaching quickly, mischief shining in his blue eyes. “What is the meaning of this?”

“This  _ street rat _ barrelled into me,” Cage huffed, brushing dirt off of himself.

“That  _ street rat _ , as you’ve called him, is the darling of the kingdom, everyone loves him. I’m sure Aden didn’t mean to run into you, right?”

“Of course not, Clarke,” he said sincerely.

“You  _ dare  _ speak the princess's name _ ―” _

“Oh  _ please  _ stop making a fool of yourself, Prince Cage, I gave him permission long ago. Friends don’t need to use my title. Now, Aden, run along. I know you’ve been busy around the bakeries lately, and Bryan might skin you if he discovers you’ve been into his supply of honeycakes again.”

“Aye aye, Cap’n Clarke!” Aden said cheekily, with a faux salute to the two heirs, before scampering off in the direction of the forest, eager to report his knowledge to Lexa, smile stretching across his face as he heard Clarke and Cage continue to bicker.

* * *

 

The gates to the palace had been opened, and Clarke sat ramrod straight in her seat between Octavia and Bellamy, Marcus to her far left, and Abby to her far right. The thrones at the doors to the palace were tall and elegant, and she gazed out at everyone gathered, eager to see the Declaring of the Champions. It wasn’t often that there was so much royalty in one spot. Marcus stood, and the crowd hushed.

“Welcome, everyone,” his voice rang across the gathered masses, commanding attention, “to the beginning of the Tournament, a competition to win the affections of the Crown Princess of Arkadia, Clarke.” He nodded to her and she smiled tightly as the people applauded, hands folded stiffly in her lap. “Now, I will allow for the representatives from each group to announce their champions.”

A menacing looking girl stepped forward first, followed closely by her Queen and Prince.

“From the kingdom Azgeda,” she spoke with a clear voice, “firstborn son of Queen Nia, destroyer of armies, warrior of blood, Prince Roan.” The man turned his head to observe the cheering crowd, and allowed a small smile to cross his face. 

“From the kingdom Exodus,” another voice piped up, a boy named Atom who Clarke recognized from Wells’s frequent trips to Arkadia as the prince’s personal manservant, “firstborn son of King Thelonious, hunter of man, champion to war, Prince Wells.” Clarke smiled genuinely at her friend, who nodded back at her with a smile, waving at the people who cheered. 

“From the kingdom Trigeda,” a small girl said, her voice ringing loudly for someone her size, “firstborn son of King Titus, shaker of mountains, master of fate, Prince John.” Clarke noted the reluctance in the prince’s posture, and saw Bellamy visibly perk at the sight of the boy, to which Clarke grinned and lightly elbowed her brother. 

“From the kingdom of Mount Weather,” a young man announced, “first and second born sons to King Dante, twins, brothers in arms, masters of strategy, Prince Cage and Prince Emerson.” Out of all of the suitors, these two garnered the least applause, because they’d already attracted the dislike of the people with their arrogance and haughtiness. 

“From the kingdom Polaris,” sounded the voice of a rather pretty girl Clarke had seen earlier, who looked annoyed that she had to be here in the first place, an odd looking metal brace around her leg, “firstborn son of Queen Alie, Prince Finn.” The women cheered wildly for Finn, who had captured their attention with his long hair and charming smiles, but Clarke wasn’t fooled. There was a lull, and Clarke’s heart fell, perhaps Lexa hadn’t been able to find a way to compete. The crowd stilled with another unexpected voice rang out, but the blonde’s heart soared when she recognized the familiar sound of the honeycake thief who had quickly wormed his way into her heart. 

“From the Thieves Guild―” There were mutters in the crowd, and the other suitors looked confused, but the people looked excited, because they knew this was their chance for a champion who represented them best to earn a place on the throne and rid Pike of his position of power. Aden was dressed smartly for perhaps the first time in his life. Gone were the torn trousers and fraying shirts, replaced with pressed pants and a dark red shirt, the kohl of his people painted neatly over his eyes. Behind him were Lexa’s most trusted generals, Anya, Lincoln, and Indra, but Clarke could not spot the girl yet.

“―champion to the poor, warrior against oppression, queen of the thieves,  _ Commander Lexa. _ ” There was an uproar as Lexa finally made herself known, and Clarke could vaguely hear the outraged cries of her mother and of Pike, but her eyes were locked onto Lexa’s green ones, framed once more by black kohl, wearing a rather impressive and intimidating warrior’s outfit, plated in armor, a red sash draping down her back, brown hair twisted into intricate braids. Marcus raised his hands for silence, quelling the crowd. 

“I accept these declarations of champions,” his voice rang, “ _ all  _ of them.” The people cheered the loudest they had yet, chants of Lexa’s name ringing out, much to the confusion (and in some cases, jealousy) of the other suitors. “I wish the best of luck to all of you, come into the palace now with your attendants, and rest. The tournament will begin in two days time.”

* * *

 

Lexa had been inside the palace many times, but hadn’t seen much beyond Clarke’s room, so being invited in willingly was a new experience. For the first time, she could explore freely, and Aden walked in front of her, eyes bright with wonder as they were led on a tour of the premises. 

“Nice to finally meet you.” Lexa’s head turned quickly, and she was met with the sight of the younger Princess of Arkadia. Octavia was beautiful, of that there was no doubt, with her sun-kissed skin and long dark hair and playful hazel eyes. “The legendary  _ commander _ . Bellamy thinks you’re the most annoying thing to ever grace the face of the planet, but Clarke never shuts up about how amazing you are.” Faintly, Lexa can feel her cheeks flush slightly with pleasure, because the thought of Clarke bragging about her makes her chest swell with adoration. 

“I’ve heard much of you as well, Princess Octavia,” Lexa returned with a smile, and Octavia scoffs and shakes her head. 

“Call me O, you’ve earned that. Besides, we’re probably going to be sisters-in-law pretty soon, if everything Clarke says about you is true.”

“I’m sure she overembelishes,” Lexa tries to brush off modestly, but Aden decides to pipe up at that moment, still slightly starstruck. 

“Don’t let her fool you,” he says seriously, “Lexa’s one of the most talented people I know, and amongst the most skilled thieves, that’s saying something. The competition don’t stand a chance.” Octavia grinned at Aden, turning to Lexa. 

“I like him, he’s got spirit. And I’ll hold you to that, little man, I’d  _ love  _ to see the smirks wiped off of those arrogant little pompous pissbabies’s faces. I think I might actually kill myself if any of them were my brother-in-law, so really, you’re doing the entire kingdom a service, Lexa.”

“Anything for Clarke,” Lexa reaffirmed, and she saw Octavia’s lips curl up into a smirk. 

“You know, none of the champions are supposed to have had previous relationships with her…” Octavia trailed off, voice teasing, and Lexa rolled her eyes.

“Then Prince Wells would have to be asked to leave on account of their prior friendship, not just me, and what a stir that would cause.”

“I like how you think, Commander.”

“Clarke!” Aden’s happy exclamation cut off the interaction of the two young women, and Lexa’s head snapped in the direction of his cry to see Clarke approaching the three of them gracefully, a smile planted firmly on her face.

“Aden! Come here!” With a grin the smaller boy scampered forward and captured Clarke’s waist in a crushing hug, the older blonde smiling fondly and ruffling his hair. The sight warmed Lexa’s heart, seeing perhaps two of the people she cared most about getting along. Octavia had led the two away from the main group, so Anya, Lincoln, and Indra were nowhere to be found. Clarke’s gaze eventually turned away from the small boy in her arms and tilted upwards to meet Lexa’s adoring gaze, a smile on her face and a blush on her cheeks. Octavia was grinning like a madwoman.

“Princess Clarke,” Lexa greeted formally, to which Clarke responded with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. 

“ _ Commander _ .” The way Clarke’s tongue curled around the word made Lexa shiver, and she sent a perturbed look at the girl she loved, knowing that Clarke knew wholeheartedly what her calling Lexa commander did to the brunette. The exchange went over Aden’s head, as the boy was too busy grinning and talking to Clarke rapidly about how beautiful the palace was, so it was up to Octavia to clear the air. 

“Well, let’s get you two to your rooms, shall we?”

The others were waiting for them in their designated wing of the palace, and Clarke whispered instructions on how to get to her tower before she left with Octavia, the heads of the two princesses turned towards one another, whispering in low tones. 

Clarke would be the death of her, truly.

* * *

 

Soon, the day arrived for the first task of the tournament. Clarke sat once more on her throne, looking as poised and elegant as a princess should, a smile fixed on her face because she knew that Lexa was here, Lexa was competing, and that Lexa would  _ win.  _ Marcus had come to Clarke the night previous and discussed with her the details of the last task, and the blonde was certain now that Lexa would win. 

They’d been moved to the large arena in the center of Arkadia, usually reserved for large sporting events or warrior tournaments after victorious war, but since the kingdoms had lived in peace for the past decade or so, it hadn’t seen much use. 

“Welcome, champions, spectators,” Marcus announced with a grin, “we are gathered here today for the first of four tasks that the competitors must undertake in order for a chance at winning the hand of Clarke in marriage.” Cheers resound throughout the stadium and Clarke waves at them. The cheering only increases when the champions enter the arena, and she notes with pride that Lexa garners the most attention. She is clearly the crowd favorite. 

“Today’s trial, combat,” Marcus continues, “non-lethal. Last warrior standing wins the round. Champions, ready yourselves.” The weapons have already been checked to make sure they are blunted, so that they can inflict pain, but not enough to kill any of the champions. Clarke smiles when she sees Aden step out from the pits hefting two long sheaths, as Lexa prefers dual wielding. The majority of the princes pull out single blades, but Roan pulls out a quarterstaff fitted with steel on either end, and Clarke knows she is right to think of him as Lexa’s biggest competition. From the smirk on Aden’s face, though, she is confident that Lexa will come out of this on top, because Aden has been watching them train, and he appears nonplussed.

At the sounding of the horn, they begin. 

Cage and Emerson immediately make a beeline for Lexa, but she meets them gracefully, and Wells backs her up, because he thinks it’s an unfair fight, and Wells can’t stand for unfairness. It is one of the qualities Clarke adores most in her friend, but she isn’t sure Lexa needs the help. Finn and John are busy fighting Roan, who is making quick work of them with his quarterstaff, obviously knowing his way around the weapon, feet moving with the fluidity of a dancer as he dodged their blows and matched them with just as much ferocity. 

About fifteen minutes in and Lexa and Wells have made quick work of Cage and Emerson, who are out cold on the ground, and have turned on each other. Finn, in all his arrogance, had been knocked flat on the ground by the blunt end of Roan’s staff and is struggling to get up, so he admits defeat. John is now left to deal with the constant barrage of Roan’s attacks and is faltering quickly. The thin boy looks deceptively weak, but is quick in his movements and appears annoyed, trademark scowl plastered on his face as he defended himself, and Clarke noted once more that Bellamy’s eyes were trained on the Prince of Trigeda, sitting stiffly, hands gripping his throne tightly, knuckles white with strain. 

Octavia, too, noticed this, and a sly grin snuck its way across her face, filing away that information for later, no doubt, to endlessly tease Bellamy about. 

Bellamy’s breath hitches when Roan finally breaks John’s defense at the same time Lexa breaks Wells’s, and the two of them go down at relatively the same time, knocked out cold, but still visibly breathing. Clarke leans forward in her seat, looking much like Bellamy had a few moments prior, eyes wide. This is the fight that everyone has been waiting for. 

The two warriors circle each other for a moment, assessing their strengths and weaknesses, before they lunge in unison. The sound of metal swords on the sturdy quarterstaff ring through the stadium, and the people cheer their pleasure at the fierce display. Clarke is on edge, but in the beginning, Lexa has the upper hand. Everything is going well until Roan knocks one of Lexa’s swords out of her hands, twisting fluidly with the movements of his quarterstaff. One sword down, Lexa fights back as vigorously as she had with two, but it isn’t long before Roan knocks the second sword out of her hand and knocks her to the ground. A hush falls over the crowd, but before Marcus can open his mouth, Lexa is swinging her legs around, knocking Roan out at the knees and taking his own quarterstaff from him. 

The crowd goes wild. 

She knocks him back brutally with his own weapon, and Clarke can see the blood flying from his mouth, and he falls to the ground with a defeated thud, raising his hands up in surrender. 

Marcus can barely announce her victory before the entire crowd is on their feet, cheering and hollering, and Aden is running out of the pits again and leaps onto Lexa like a monkey to a tree, hugging her tightly as he cheers, but Lexa’s eyes are only for Clarke. There is a proud smile set on Lexa’s face, and Clarke stares at her with the utmost adoration before Lexa is led away by Lincoln to get cleaned up and tend to her wounds.

* * *

 

It is later that night, when Clarke is strolling through the palace, that she meets the girl who had announced Prince Finn. She finds her up in the rafters, and the darker skinned girl almost gives Clarke a heart attack.

“Hey, Princess.” Clarke jumped slightly, a small surprised noise escaping her unintentionally. She peered up curiously, blue gaze met by an amused brown one.

“You scared me,” she exclaimed, a hint of playful accusation in her voice.

“I can see that, Princess,” the girl laughed, before shimmying down with surprising grace for someone with their leg in a brace, “I’d apologize, but it was pretty funny.” Clarke decided then that she  _ liked  _ this girl. Certainly much more than she cared for the Prince of Polaris. 

“I’m afraid I don’t know your name,” Clarke said lightly.

“S’alright, not many do,” the girl said with a sheepish grin before offering her hand, which Clarke readily shook, “name’s Raven Reyes, best inventor and builder in all of Polaris, not that anyone appreciates my genius.”

“Well, Raven,” says Clarke, “it’s a pleasure to meet you. Care to join me on my walk?”

“Sure, Princess, lead the way.” As they walk out to the palace gardens, Clarke learns much about the girl. Her mother had been Alie’s head serving girl, so Raven was born to be in the service of the queen, and when Raven’s mother died, there was no buffer. In the beginning, she’d found companionship with Finn but, as Clarke was quick to find out, Finn was a lying, cheating no-good bastard who enjoyed playing with the hearts of women everywhere. When Clarke enquired as to why Raven didn’t just leave, the other girl motioned helplessly to her leg.

“There aren’t many people who want work from a cripple,” she said emotionlessly, and Clarke was struck by a wave of pity, which Raven must have immediately detected, as the girl scowled, “I’m no less capable because of it, though.”

“I’ve no doubt,” Clarke placated, mind whirling, before a small smile crossed her face as she was struck by an idea, “you know, our current Head Craftsman, Wick, is a bit of an idiot. I’m sure my mother wouldn’t oppose to a more experienced, more qualified person coming in to keep him in check.” The brilliant smile Clarke was rewarded with was answer enough.

“Princess, if you get me out of service to the royal pricks, I’ll love you forever.”

“I’ll hold you to that, Reyes.”

* * *

 

The next morning arrives quickly, and Raven, true to her word, becomes Clarke’s faithful, fast friend, already in the business of joking with the blonde and Octavia, who gravitated to the darker skinned girl as soon as Clarke introduced them. The three spend the morning talking as though they’ve been friends all their lives, and Marcus is quick to approve Raven’s position in the palace alongside Wick, clearing the idea with Queen Alie with little resistance on her part, as Alie doesn’t particularly care for the craftswoman anyways. 

The champions are allowed a day's rest in between tasks, so Lexa joins them after lunch, bringing along Lincoln, Anya, and Aden. Indra prefers to stay inside of the palace, talking to some of the others there, who regard her with wariness at first, unaccustomed to being in the presence of thieves, but Marcus treats her with the utmost respect, so the others follow his lead. Anya and Raven get along like a house on fire, bickering and making jibes at each other, but maintaining the friendly air. Lexa is content to have Clarke lean into her, the two of them listening to Aden talk to them excitedly of the goings on of the people of Arkadia, and Octavia takes a shining to Lincoln, whose easy-going nature compliments her fierce spirit. 

Clarke listens attentively to Aden as Lexa’s fingers twist braids into her hair, the blonde girl melting into the soothing gesture, wishing nothing more than to kiss the girl she was currently snuggled into, but resisting, as she knew the other suitors would call foul play if they came across them. 

“One of your guards is rather enamoured with Bryan,” Aden says, and Clarke knows he is talking about Nathan, a young guard who she has often caught glancing wistfully in the direction of the bakery, “Bryan gives him baskets of treats, so it’s safe to assume that he’s caught his attention, too.” This makes Clarke smile, as she loves to hear that the friends she had made of the townsfolk are happy and prosperous. 

“How are Monty and Jasper?” While not brothers by blood, Clarke rarely saw the two away from another. Monty studied the stars and recorded constellations every night in addition to being the best mapmaker in Arkadia, and Jasper was always by his side, adding in his own notes and drawings. They were a dynamic duo, and Clarke always had fun when she visited them, refreshed by their playful nature and general excitement for the world around them.

“Jasper’s expressed his intentions to court your cook, Maya,” Aden informs Clarke dutifully, to which the blonde grins brightly. The two were suited for each other, and she knew that Maya would be thrilled when she heard of Jasper’s intentions. “And they just took in a stray cat recently, I believe they’ve named him Sterling.”

“Naming a cat after a bird?” Lexa sounded equal parts perplexed and amused, and Clarke shook her head, laughing. 

“That’s just how Monty and Jasper are,” she grinned, “they have a mutt in their care, too, that they named Fish.” 

“Your friends are weird, Princess,” Raven inputs, and Clarke rolls her eyes. 

“You’re one of them.”

“My point still stands.”

* * *

 

The next two tasks come and go quickly. The second is a hunting competition, and the champions are each given a wagon to fill and allowed one person to accompany them for the day, tasked to bring back as much game as they possibly can. Lexa, of course, brings Anya, much to Aden’s disappointment, but it is the logical choice, because Anya is her highest ranking general, and just as skilled as Lexa herself, as it was Anya who had trained the brunette. 

She returns at the end of the day with her cart stuffed full. Two fine-antlered bucks rested at the bottom, accompanied by a wolf and a bear, and her load is easily the most impressive. Roan brings forward a gorilla and a buck, which earns him second in the competition, and Wells arrives in third with two wolves and a buck. Lexa doesn’t escape unscathed, and when Clarke asks how she earned the nasty scratch on her cheek, the girl colors and mumbles while Anya laughs and tells Clarke all about how the mighty  _ commander  _ was almost defeated by a mere raccoon.

Clarke thinks it’s hilarious (Lexa doesn’t).

The third task is won by Roan, much to Lexa’s annoyance, a rather tricky obstacle course set up in the stadium. She’d hoped to win all four tasks, but the pressure was even higher on her to win the final one, because if Roan one, they’d be tied, and it would be up to Marcus to decide which champion was better suited for his daughter. While the man had given Lexa his blessing to compete, she was still unsure on whether or not the man favored her, as he was near impossible to read. 

Problem was, nobody knew what the fourth and final task was going to be. 

On the final day, the champions stood before Marcus outside of the palace, eagerly awaiting his announcement. Clarke was grinning, which confused Lexa, but tipped her off to know that a blonde somehow had a role in this task. 

“As you may have noticed,” Marcus started, “today, I am without my crown.” It was odd to see the man’s head without the familiar gold ornament on his head, revealing brown hair speckled with gray that were doubtlessly from the stress of running a kingdom. “It is hidden somewhere in the palace, which is being heavily guarded by Arkadia’s finest, including my own son, Bellamy―” The floppy haired boy grinned “―who will be rejoining his fellows shortly. The final task of the tournament is to locate my missing crown and steal it while avoiding capture.” At his words, Lexa understood Clarke’s smile, and she felt her heart soar. 

This task was catered specifically to her. 

She could win this. 

Victory was so close she could taste it. 

“You have until sundown… begin.” Lexa was off like a shot, leaving before Clarke could even stand from her throne, launching herself onto one of the rafters with ease, pulling herself up onto the first floor of roofing with practiced familiarity. 

She began her search in the storage room where the majority of the palace’s treasures were kept, under heavy guard, but Lexa had no problem slipping past them as she always did, eyes scanning amongst the piles of gold and jewels for the crown that she was looking for. Unsurprisingly, she didn’t find it there. It seemed a bit obvious to hide the crown in one of the most well-guarded room of the palace, so she hadn’t expected to see the crown there, but had decided it be best to check anyways. From the commotion she could hear outside of the door, it appeared as though one of her competitors had the same idea as her. 

The next place Lexa thought to check was the highest tower, climbing up it with sure-footing like a monkey, not bothered by the height or the wind in her hair, rather she was inspired by it, scaling its magnificence with ease. Her lithe frame was able to slip easily through the bars on the window, and she rolled onto the ground softly, muffling her landing so as not to rouse the guards who were no doubt waiting on the stairs below. A frown crossed her face when she realized it wasn’t there, either, and she quickly slunk back out, wracking her mind for possibilities on where the crown could possibly be, and then the thought occurred. 

Marcus wouldn’t hide the crown where there were a lot of guards, because that’s where people expected it to be hidden, and therefore had a higher chance of getting caught. No, he’d hide it somewhere unsuspecting, where most wouldn’t think to look. 

With this in mind, Lexa paid a visit to the kitchens, almost giving poor Maya a heart attack when she slunk in like a fox, undetected. The wide-eyed cook had observed her with apprehension and a little fear as Lexa prowled around, eyes scanning every possible surface, not wishing to overlook anything, but was disappointed yet again when she saw that the crown was nowhere in sight. 

After the kitchen, she scoured the library, searching behind bookshelves and in hidden nooks and crannies she had hidden in before. Then she went to the workshop, where Raven was amusing herself with yelling at Wick, who had been rather annoyed by her addition to the palace. The two of them greeted her quickly before resuming their bickering, but Lexa found nothing there but a pair of irritated craftsmen.

Her search throughout the castle continues, and the girl leaves no corner unchecked, no rock unturned, but still she cannot find the crown. It’s infuriating, and from the telltale colors in the sky, she knows that sundown is fast approaching, but an idea strikes her just as she feels she is about to scream in frustration. Feet make the familiar journey across the roof and into an opened window, and a brilliant smile crosses Lexa face as she sees Clarke, sitting on her stool, tongue poking slightly out of her mouth as she concentrates on a painting and there, planted firmly on her head, rests Marcus’s crown. 

The blonde doesn’t realize Lexa is in the room until her lithe fingers are plucking the item in question off of her head, and when she turns to look at Lexa, who is now wearing the crown herself, happiness explodes in Clarke’s chest.

Lexa had won.

* * *

 

Arkadia barely has time to recover from the excitement of the tournament before plans for a royal wedding are being set into motion. Lexa is given her own personal quarters in the palace, and it pleases her to no end to see the annoyed looks of Queen Abby and General Pike every time they cross paths, infuriated that the thief who’d been the bane of their existence for so long being allowed to live among them freely. 

The people are overjoyed.

Clarke is the darling of Arkadia, and Lexa is the champion to the poor, so the announcement of their soon-to-be union caused the people to rejoice. Aden was now receiving lessons from the royal guard, content to wrestle with Bellamy, who regarded him as a younger brother figure quickly, as well as others, like Nathan. To nobody’s surprise, Prince John had remained behind while the others left to nurse their wounded pride to ask Marcus’s permission to pursue one of his other children, much to Titus’s general horror, and Marcus had accepted with a ready smile. 

Clarke rarely saw Bellamy without the smaller prince at his side, the two of them complimenting each other in ways that Clarke hadn’t thought possible, Bellamy’s kindness mellowing out John’s defensive nature, and John’s free spirit quelling Bellamy’s fondness for strictly following the rules. The people of Arkadia were more united than ever, and members of the Thieves Guild found themselves more welcome in society, Lincoln quickly capturing Octavia’s affection, and Clarke knew that Anya was struck by a certain inventor with a leg brace. 

Clarke would recall the wedding as the happiest day in her life.

Aden looked smart in a small guard’s uniform, usually wild blonde hair combed and slicked back, a grin on his face as he carried the rings. Bellamy and Octavia were dressed pristinely, as were Anya and Lincoln. 

Lexa walked down the aisle first, greeted by the faces of royalty, commoners, and thieves alike, all joined together to witness the union of these two young women. She was dressed similarly to Bellamy, in a formal suit with a coattail, though while his were navy in color, her clothes were white with gold linings, red sash replaced by a golden one. She truly looked like royalty, but the gasps when people saw her were nothing compared to the reaction to Clarke coming out. 

As soon as Lexa saw her, she felt her jaw drop and her eyes fill with tears. She looked like a goddess, truly, blonde hair cascading over her shoulders, blue eyes shining brightly, long white dress trailing after her. Lexa had never seen someone so beautiful, and the fact that she would be able to spend the rest of her life with this woman, this angel, struck Lexa to her core, and the tears quickly spilled, but a smile was fixed firmly on her face, and her cheeks were beginning to hurt with the strain of her happiness. 

They exchanged vows with quiet voices and laughter, and the people looked on in approval, until the priest spoke. 

“Do you, Lexa of the Thieves Guild, swear your fealty to Princess Clarke of Arkadia, and promise to treat her needs as your own, her people as your people?”

“I do.”

“And do you, Princess Clarke, pledge your allegiance to Lexa of the Thieves Guild, swear to take her as your equal in mind, body, and soul?”

“I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me, I pronounce you bride and bride.” A small smile crept its way onto the priest’s face. “You may kiss.”

When Lexa’s lips met Clarke’s softly, filled with promises, greeted by the cheers of the people, she knew that Clarke was worth fighting for. She had never been more sure about anything in her life.

* * *

 

“Thief! Come back!” Clarke laughed, sighing contentedly as she leant back into Lexa from their spot on the soft grass of the palace gardens, soaking up the rays of sun and allowing themselves to rest. Her left hand moved rapidly against her sketchbook as blue eyes observed the sight before them. 

Aden had grown into a fine young man, broad shouldered and built like an ox, easily a head and a half taller than both Clarke and Lexa. His voice had deepened considerably, and his deep, rich laughter rang across the gardens as he chased around a giggling four-year-old with curly blonde hair and bright blue eyes who had a talent for mischief already. 

While little Jake looked every bit like Clarke, who had carried him, his behavior was already so much like Lexa, which was only fueled by his frequent excursions with Aden, who insisted he help Lexa teach the young boy their family trade. Only four years old and his little hands could already easily pluck honeycakes out of baskets without Bryan seeing, much to Aden’s immense enjoyment. While he might not have been hers biologically, Jake was very much Lexa’s son, and she loved him to pieces. 

Bellamy and John were a short distance away on the grass, cooing at the small girl they’d recently adopted, a cute little thing with a shock of red hair and a splattering of freckles all across her face named Ellis. She already had both of her fathers wrapped around her little finger, and even Jake was already protective of her. Clarke could hear Raven and Anya’s daughter, Tris, arguing with Octavia and Lincoln’s son, Nyko, in the familiar whining tones that were found in all three-year-olds as Lincoln patiently tried to reason with them. Octavia was snoozing on the branch of a tree, and Anya and Raven were sitting close to Clarke and Lexa, trying to find peace amongst the chaos. 

Arkadia was flourishing. Marcus had taken Lexa’s advice to heart and released Pike from his duty once he discovered the full extend of the man’s treachery against the poor, and Lexa hadn’t heard from the man since he was kicked out. John had taken permanent residence in the kingdom after his marriage to Bellamy, leaving the throne of Trigeda to his sister, Emori, who was more than happy to take the spot. Economic prosperity spread through the kingdom, and people were safe and happy. 

Lexa had never expected her life to end up this way, had never expected to find such happiness, hadn’t thought herself worth of it. But now, with Clarke nestled in her arms, eyes fondly watching her little brother chase after her son, Lexa knew she was the luckiest woman alive, and she thanked fortune every day that Clarke always left her window open, and that she had literally tackled the love of her life to the ground. 

While Lexa might have been the greatest thief Arkadia had ever known, it was clear that the blonde woman in her arms had stolen her heart. 

And Lexa let her.

**Author's Note:**

> Phew! That was three days of work, glad it's up and finished! And, yes, I am working on all the other things, I just got a little sidetracked because I couldn't get the idea for this fic out of my head. 
> 
> Anyways, as always, kudos/comments are greatly appreciated (especially comments)! Thanks so much for reading! Come hang out on tumblr, [hedaclexa](http://www.hedaclexa.tumblr.com), promise I don't bite!


End file.
